Contents
Uses
- It is widely cultivated in streets and parks throughout the temperate world, and has been particularly successful in places like the United Kingdom and New Zealand, where they are commonly found in parks, streets and avenues. Cultivation for its spectacular spring flowers is successful in a wide range of temperate climatic conditions provided summers are not too hot, with trees being grown as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the Faroe Islands, Reykjavík, Iceland and Harstad,Norway.
- In Britain and Ireland, the seeds are used for the popular children’s game conkers.
- The seeds, especially those that are young and fresh, are slightly poisonous, containing alkaloid saponins and glucosides. Although not dangerous to touch, they cause sickness when eaten; consumed by horses, they can cause tremors and lack of coordination.Some mammals, notably deer, are able to break down the toxins and eat them safely.
- Though the seeds are said to repel spiders there is little evidence to support these claims. The presence of saponin may repel insects but it is not clear whether this is effective on spiders.
Benefits
- Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, analgesic, astringent, econgestant, expectorant, febrifuge, tonic, vasoprotective, venous tonic.
Cautions
- Aesculus Hippocastanumshould be avoided by anyone with liver or kidney disease, taking anti-coagulant therapy or who is pregnant or breast-feeding.
- Topically, Aesculus Hippocastanum has been associated with rare cases of allergic skin reactions. Circulation disorders and trauma associated with swelling are usually the signs of a serious condition; please consult a health care professional before self-treating with horse chestnut.
Interactions
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- Lithium interacts with Aesculus Hippocastanum
Horse chestnut might have an effect like a water pill or “diuretic.” Taking horse chestnut might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed. - Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Aesculus Hippocastanum
Horse chestnut might decrease blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking horse chestnut along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others. - Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with Aesculus Hippocastanum
Aesculus Hippocastanum seed might slow blood clotting. Taking horse chestnut seed along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
- Lithium interacts with Aesculus Hippocastanum
Other names
Aescin, Aescine, Aesculus hippocastanum, Buckeye, Castaño de Indias, Châtaignier de Mer, Châtaignier des Chevaux, Chestnut, Escine, Faux-Châtaignier, Hippocastani Cortex, Hippocastani Flos, Hippocastani Folium, Hippocastani Semen, Hippocastanum Vulgare Gaertn, Marron Europeen, Marronnier, Marronnier Blanc, Marronnier Commun, Marronnier d’Inde, Marronnier des Chevaux, Pu, Spanish Chestnut, Venastat, Venostasin Retard, Venostat, White Chestnut
References
Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesculus_hippocastanum
Herbwisdom, http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-horse-chestnut.html